Flying-machine.



E. W |CK. FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.7.1918.

WITNESSES ATTORNEY E. WICK.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7, I918.

WITNESSES Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Fla 6'.

INVENTOR ATTOR N EY IEIVIMIT WICK, 0F LAURA, OHIO.

FLYING-MACHINE.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMMIT WICK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Laura, in the county of Miami and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flying-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to air craft designed chiefly for warfare, the purpose being to devise a machine which may be sustained in the air over a particular point, thereby enabling missiles and projectiles to be accurately aimed, with reasonable assurance that the object aimed at will be hit.

The invention consists of an air ship of peculiar form and structure embodying sustaining and propelling means which may be driven separately or ointly as required, each being provided with any well known clutch means to couple the same or uncouple it from the motor or driving power.

The drawing illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it is to be understood that in adapting the same to meet different conditions, various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the nature of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a flying machine embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in the several views of the drawings by like reference characters.

The machine embodies a hull or shell which comprises a forward cylindrical portion 1 and a rear tapering portion 2. A bracket 3 is secured to the underside of the forward portion 1 and is provided with a rolling support 4. A trailing skid 5 is secured to the underside of the tapering portion 2 and acts jointly with the rolling support 4: to sustain the machine when traveling upon a surface, as when alighting. For proper steering, the machine is Provided with rear rudders 6 and 7 the rudder 6 0001'].- pying a vertical position, and the rudder 7 bein horizontally disposed. These rudders may e of any conventional type and adapted to be manipulated by suitable operating Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 7, 1918.

means. A coek-pit 8 is located about medially of the hull or shell and extends vertically thereof and is designed to receive a gun, bomb-thrower or other type of ordnance for projecting missiles. This gun is indicated at 9 and is disposed in a relatively vertical position with the muzzle pointing downward so that the machine may successfully attack a submarine or other type of war craft disposed beneath the flying machine. As indicated most clearly in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the cock-pit 8 constitutes strengthening means for stiffening the hull or shell and the same is enlarged in its upper portion to provide ample room for operating the gun 9 and manipulating the several levers and controlling devices essential for proper steering and operation of the inachine. Inasmuch as the machine is particularly designed for attacking submarines and other war craft the gun 9 is disposed with its muzzle projecting through an opening formed in the bottom of the cock-pit and the lower portion of the shell or hull of the machine.

For sustaining the machine during flight it is provided with laterally extending planes 10 which may be of any construction. As indicated the planes 10 are thickened somewhat at their forward edges and curved and tapered toward their rear edges, the latter being in a plane lower' than the forward edges as indicated most clearly in Fig. 2.

Lifting propellers 11 are located at the sides of the body of the machine and are disposed two in front and two in the rear of the planes 10. These lifting propellers may be used solely for elevating the machine from the deck of a ship or from the ground, or may be depended upon for sustaining the machine in the air" over a point to be attacked. It will thus be understood that it is not necessary to circle in order to sustain the machine when attacking an enemy submarine or other air craft, when it is desired to project a missile upon any object. The lifting propellers 11 also serve as stabilizing means to preserve the balance of the machine when in flight or poised over a point to be attacked. The propellers 11 may be of any structural formation, and are secured to the upper ends of vertical shafts 12, said shafts in turn being geared to longi tudinal shafts 13 disposed at the sides of the machine. The shafts 13 in turn are geared to a transverse shaft 14, and the latter is nected to a motor 16 of a suitable type disposed within the forward portion 1 of the hull or body. 'l'he shaft 15 is provided with anv form of clutch 17 whereby provision is had for throwing the lifting propellers 11' into or out of operation.

A driving propeller 17 is located forward of the machine and is attached to the front end of a longitudinal and centrally disposed shaft -18, said shaft being coupled in any manner to the motor 16. A clutch 19 cooperates with the shaft 18 'toadmit of throwing the driving propeller into or out of gear. When it is desired to rise from the deck of a shin or other point, the driving propeller 17 is thrown out of gear and the lifting propellers 11 thrown into gear. The

combined action of the lifting propellers suflicient to cause the machine to rise. At any desired point in the upward movement of the machine, the driving propeller 17 may be thrown into gear so as to cause the forward movement of the machine, and when the machine in flight the lifting propellers 11 may be thrown out of gear 'since the action of the planes 10 is suflicient to sustain the machine. When the machine is in flight, it is directed inits course by proper manipulation of the rudders 6 and 7 in the manner well understood. When it is desired to attack a submarine or other type of warcraft,

the driving propeller 17 is thrown out of gear and the lifting ropellers 11 thrown mto gear, thereby ena ling a machine to be 5 sustamed or poised over an object to be attacked, so that accurate aim may be taken and the object of attack hit.

W hat I claim is A flying machine, comprising body or shell having its forward portion of cylindrical form and its rear portion tapering, a rolling support beneath the forward end of the body, a trailing skid beneath the rear tapering portion of the body, a cock- 5 pit disposed ,at the central portion of the body and opening through the top and bottom walls of the body and attached to such walls and serving as strengthening and bracing means, planes projecting laterally from 5 opposite sides of the forward portion of the body, driving propeller in advance of the bod lifting propellers at the side of the cylindrical portion. of the body and disposed in the front and in the rear of the planes, and a motor for driving the propellers jointly or independently.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EMMIT WIGK.

\Vitnesses CHAS. MOORE, ELMER HAHN.

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